Author Topic: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search  (Read 4922 times)

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Offline vrty21

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Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« on: August 08, 2018, 04:53:03 PM »
Hi,

I am wondering why avast secure browser bank mode default homepage become YANDEX Search when clearly i did not install them or even put as the default settings.

I did fullscan and bootscan but detect nothing. Now i can't remove it. In addition today, i had to use google chrome to do online banking because my bank clearly show up an error during my bank transfer using that browser. I have avast internet security installed.

I really like to post a screenshot but can't since avast bank mode can't do screenshot.

Help would be appreciated. Thanks

Edit : I remembered i can save as pdf and then port to paint.



« Last Edit: August 09, 2018, 04:31:48 AM by vrty21 »

REDACTED

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2018, 12:06:57 PM »
Same here

If I run AvastBrowser.exe  there is no yandex search.

Offline billygoat59

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2018, 01:29:19 PM »
I have just used Avast Browser in Bank-mode and I also get  yandex search.

Offline Leafs

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2018, 02:24:51 PM »
Avast Secure Browser displaying Amazon here (since August 7th) and Yandex (as of this morning) when in Bank Mode.
============
Edit : When clicked, the search bar displays Google but has an Amazon banner above it in Secure Browser. However, the search bar doesn't indicate as such in Bank Mode. Checked the settings and somehow the default did change to Yandex. Changed it back to Google.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2018, 04:43:41 PM by Leafs »

Offline vrty21

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2018, 02:48:10 PM »
No wonder. I just don't like the idea popping up as my default homepage without warning or notification beforehand.It just behave like a hijacker. I googled yandex.ru it has a history of hijacking browsers. It give me a panic attack. At least avast can do notification or smth.

If this is true then avast secure browser did not work with my bank sites.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2018, 02:54:19 PM by vrty21 »

Offline mchain

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2018, 12:33:39 AM »
Hello. 

See pictures attached below for default settings browser search engine in Avast Secure Browser. 
  • Because ASB is a security hardened browser also used in Avast Bank Mode, any changes from default settings may weaken security hardening over original default settings.
  • No issues with default engine settings as no changes were ever made.  See original point above.
  • Bank Mode opens normally, no search engine page specified.
Suggest reverting back to default settings without a search engine page specified.

To open, Click Three dots upper right>Settings>Search Engine>make your changes.  Close ASB and reboot browser.
Windows 10 Home 64-bit 22H2 Avast Premier Security version 24.1.6099 (build 24.1.88821.762)  UI version 1.0.797
 UI version 1.0.788.  Windows 11 Home 23H2 - Windows 11 Pro 23H2 Avast Premier Security version 24.2.6105 (build 24.1.8918.827) UI version 1.0.801

Offline billygoat59

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2018, 12:57:14 PM »
Thankyou for your advice mchain ;)

I have changed my search engine back to what it was before.

I thought Bankmode was more secure, how could my designated search engine be changed to Yandex without any input from me.
This has only occurred in bankmode only.

No problems with Secure browser in normal mode, or chrome or Firefox.

Would be nice if someone from Avast can shed some light on what may have caused it.

Offline Leafs

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2018, 01:30:04 PM »
Thx Mchain but I had already made the default search engine changes yesterday back to Google before editing my above post. Upon reboot this morning the changes are okay but the "banners" still appear (Amazon on ASB and Yandex in Bank Mode).

It's odd that these "banners" suddenly appeared recently since I use neither Amazon nor Yandex. Perhaps Avast acquired page sponsors?

Offline ondrejz

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2018, 02:25:55 PM »
Hi, this was a bug in bank mode. We displayed a wrong picture (doodle) on the New Tab Page, search was not affected. Fix of this issue was released yesterday. Please can you re-test it? Thanks

Offline billygoat59

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2018, 02:35:14 PM »
Hi, this was a bug in bank mode. We displayed a wrong picture (doodle) on the New Tab Page, search was not affected. Fix of this issue was released yesterday. Please can you re-test it? Thanks

Thanks, is working okay now :)

Offline Leafs

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #10 on: August 10, 2018, 04:52:59 PM »
Not resolved for me. Amazon banner still displaying on the ASB & Yandex while in Bank Mode. I cleared cache, etc , closed and restarted the browser but no avail. It isn't just the New Tab that is affected for me, the same banners appear on the homepage.

Also to note that yesterday when looking at my search engines, the Bank Mode was defaulted to Yandex search and I changed it back to Google.

Having all kinds of problems including a blank screen accessing Bank Mode. Maybe I'll just uninstall and reinstall from scratch. Too bad as I have the Browser to open certain sites automatically in Bank Mode. I'll close everything for today and start from scratch tomorrow.

Thanks

(before anyone asks, I ran an Avast scan, MBAM scan & updated SpywareBlaster yesterday morning.)

Offline mlvezina

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #11 on: August 10, 2018, 05:21:26 PM »
Same problem surfaced this week: Amazon banner in normal mode and Yandex in bank mode. Notice that a shortcut to Amazon (normal mode) or Yandex (bank mode) site also appears in top left position below search box.

This happens only when default search engine is Google, i.e. the abnormal banner and extra shortcut both disappear when selecting another engine and reappear when selecting Google as default engine.

Offline mchain

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Re: Avast secure browser bank mode hijacked by YANDEX search
« Reply #12 on: August 10, 2018, 06:58:21 PM »
Suggest reverting back to default settings without a search engine page specified.

To open, Click Three dots upper right>Settings>Search Engine>make your changes.  Close ASB and reboot browser.
Actually, there is a way to reset ASB to default settings.  Please see attached picture below:

Be sure to save any bookmarks before beginning.

3 dots upper right>Settings>Advanced>Reset to default settings.

Again, backup information you do not want to lose.

Hi, this was a bug in bank mode. We displayed a wrong picture (doodle) on the New Tab Page, search was not affected. Fix of this issue was released yesterday. Please can you re-test it? Thanks
I'd also check to make sure the banking site is clean/not infected.  You can post the site you use here.  Could be a BHO (Yandex) placed on their website.

bob3160 also has a way to do a clean install of ASB if a reset does not work:   :)
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=221022.msg1472201#msg1472201
Windows 10 Home 64-bit 22H2 Avast Premier Security version 24.1.6099 (build 24.1.88821.762)  UI version 1.0.797
 UI version 1.0.788.  Windows 11 Home 23H2 - Windows 11 Pro 23H2 Avast Premier Security version 24.2.6105 (build 24.1.8918.827) UI version 1.0.801